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Pretty sure anything labelled a TAV, SIV or SAV isn't counted towards eligibility, or at least it was that way for the GCS in Afghanistan.
Honours & Awards (merged)
- Thread starter Art Johnson
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jollyjacktar
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TAVs did indeed count towards the GCS. My TAV in 07 was extended to 6 mos and we received the GCS. Mind you, as we weren't officially part of the Roto we had to do our own leg work once we returned home.
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I believe it’s in the wording on your CFTPO - TAVs can last an entire tour length (so they count). SAV and SIV are usually 1 to 2 weeks (YMMV) and are not considered an attach-posting.
In the end there is someone in DHH that looks at every file and makes a determination.
In the end there is someone in DHH that looks at every file and makes a determination.
J
jollyjacktar
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Ditch said:
We were only supposed to be in country for 59 days so they could forgo the benefits that came at 60 days. The decision was made to extend us as we were getting the LAVs, Bison and Coyote changed over with the new up-armour kits and ECPK in a day and a half by the end of the tour. We stayed until all the vehicles in theatre were completed.
But l did see at least one guy on another TAV who was there for 59 days, back to Canada for 7 and straight back to KAF for another go.
Eye In The Sky
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I didn't see this posted yet, just popped up on my FB wall this morning.
Article Link
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has amended the criteria for two bars to the Special Service Medal (SSM), making it easier for CAF members to receive recognition for their contributions.
Canada’s new Defence Policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, includes an initiative to modernize the overseas recognition framework to make service medals more accessible and flexible, ensuring the appropriate and timely recognition of military personnel who participate in or provide direct support to operations.
The amendment was brought about in part as a result of Operations REASSURANCE and UNIFIER. Because of deployment patterns, many CAF members who participated in these operations did not reach the 180 day criteria previously required.
The criteria for the NATO bar to the SSM is amended from 180 days to 45 days of eligible service beginning on or after October 20, 2004. Service before this date remains under the former criteria. Those who have eligible service on both sides of the transition date can combine all eligible service towards the shorter time criteria.
Similarly, the criteria for the EXPEDITION bar to the SSM is amended from 180 days to 45 days of eligible service beginning on or after July 1, 2007.
This change will provide participants in eligible modern operations with well-earned recognition for their contribution to the operational success of the CAF. It will make a significant difference for CAF troops currently in Ukraine and Latvia, as well as ships at sea. It will also facilitate the presentation of medals in theatre before redeployment.
The detailed criteria may be found in CANFORGEN 021/18. Additional measures to make campaign and service medals more accessible and in tune with modern CAF operations are under consideration by the Government of Canada and will be announced as the decisions are finalized.
Article Link
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has amended the criteria for two bars to the Special Service Medal (SSM), making it easier for CAF members to receive recognition for their contributions.
Canada’s new Defence Policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, includes an initiative to modernize the overseas recognition framework to make service medals more accessible and flexible, ensuring the appropriate and timely recognition of military personnel who participate in or provide direct support to operations.
The amendment was brought about in part as a result of Operations REASSURANCE and UNIFIER. Because of deployment patterns, many CAF members who participated in these operations did not reach the 180 day criteria previously required.
The criteria for the NATO bar to the SSM is amended from 180 days to 45 days of eligible service beginning on or after October 20, 2004. Service before this date remains under the former criteria. Those who have eligible service on both sides of the transition date can combine all eligible service towards the shorter time criteria.
Similarly, the criteria for the EXPEDITION bar to the SSM is amended from 180 days to 45 days of eligible service beginning on or after July 1, 2007.
This change will provide participants in eligible modern operations with well-earned recognition for their contribution to the operational success of the CAF. It will make a significant difference for CAF troops currently in Ukraine and Latvia, as well as ships at sea. It will also facilitate the presentation of medals in theatre before redeployment.
The detailed criteria may be found in CANFORGEN 021/18. Additional measures to make campaign and service medals more accessible and in tune with modern CAF operations are under consideration by the Government of Canada and will be announced as the decisions are finalized.
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Eye In The Sky said:
The actual list of approved places is hilarious. Giving Liaison Officers in Key West Florida medals. I note that CANSOF does this funny thing of calling everywhere they go an OP.
For instance, they call training in Jamaica an Operation. I was there in 2012 for almost six months. The money for CANSOF engagement and what we were doing there comes from the exact same place. I should put in for the expedition tab just to see what they say.
We are getting as bad as the Americans with respect to honours and awards.
Halifax Tar
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Eye In The Sky said:
I was awarded the SSM with NATO Bar the day the change was announced lol
NavalMoose
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Kind of like getting a SWASM for working in an air conditioned OPs room in Tampa :rofl:
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Humphrey Bogart said:
Considering there won't be any CANSOF members here to defend what they're doing, or that their mission details aren't exactly public knowledge, the only thing you accomplished here is stating your sour grapes at having to be in Jamaica for 6 months. IF that funding did come from the same place, I'm sure there was enough heat and light on their mission and your task to delineate between an actual operation and whatever you did there.
If we're calling people being civil and not sexually assaulting each other an operation, who cares if they call whatever they do an operation?
McG
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The CANFORGEN on this came out just over a month ago. It is a little silly. I remember when the running joke was that the US Army would hand out medals for doing an exercise out of country. Now, Canada will give medals to CMTC guys for supporting two or three eFP CERTEXs (or Silver Arrows) in Europe.
As for CANSOFCOM making everything outside a five eyes country a named operation, that is becoming a CAF SOP. Named operations = tax free status, so everyone wants a piece of that.
As for CANSOFCOM making everything outside a five eyes country a named operation, that is becoming a CAF SOP. Named operations = tax free status, so everyone wants a piece of that.
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PuckChaser said:
I'm totally not sour grapes and what they do there is public knowledge. Just google it. Just pointing out the obvious and in fact it's smart play from CANSOF for their people.
My go was sweet, only semi-bad part was the food just because I was embedded completely with the JDF and the goat intestines with beans, fish heads for breakfast and chicken foot soup gets old real fast. Very nutritious food though for working out.
MCG said:
Yah, this is my point, it's a little ridiculous. We shouldn't be calling Bi-lateral training or exercises an operation.
Eye In The Sky
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For the folks that are arguing against the 45 days for the SSM for deploying to Europe...what about the DOBbers who are doing 30 days at the support location in Kuwait on IMPACT who's most serious threat is the fact there is no limit on soft ice cream consumption and walk away with the GSM-Exp?
I didn't think people would really feel harsh about the SSM for a European deployment, really. Granted, some of the locations are pretty soft and jammy on the eligible service list but...using Aurora techs as an example, when they are in El Salvador supporting Ops, they are making a big difference - last time I was down we credited for 5200+ k's of dope; if they wouldn't have kept us serviceable, the only thing we'd of intercepted was burgers and beers at the 'rest area'. I think they deserve the SSM-Exp in the same way we get the OSM-Exp; 30 days.
Like I said, if you get the GSM-Exp in Kuwait after 30 days of DFAC duty, I've got no problem with 45 for the SSM.
I didn't think people would really feel harsh about the SSM for a European deployment, really. Granted, some of the locations are pretty soft and jammy on the eligible service list but...using Aurora techs as an example, when they are in El Salvador supporting Ops, they are making a big difference - last time I was down we credited for 5200+ k's of dope; if they wouldn't have kept us serviceable, the only thing we'd of intercepted was burgers and beers at the 'rest area'. I think they deserve the SSM-Exp in the same way we get the OSM-Exp; 30 days.
Like I said, if you get the GSM-Exp in Kuwait after 30 days of DFAC duty, I've got no problem with 45 for the SSM.
Eye In The Sky
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Dimsum said:We definitely should, especially if it makes my Hawaii/San Diego/Palm Springs/Norway/Italy/France/Scotland exercises all tax-free
SOLID point! ;D
Although it was nice to see the tax-free time for Op Sxxxxx and Caribbe on my T4 Box 43 this year
rancing:...was getting used to Box 43 from IMPACT. 
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If we are asking/telling people to go to foreign places and spend months over there why not give them some "bling" to show for it? Getting people to DAG green for a months long over seas exercises can be hard to do, people may want something to show for their time away. I know when we did POSEIDON CUTLASS 17 many of the younger sailors wanted to know if there was going to be recognition for their five months or so away from home on exercise. No medals for that one in the end, but I think they tax free status was enough for most.
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Will there be an SSM bar for the troops who spend their entire summer in Meaford, Aldershot or Wainright? How about incremental staff at CTC? I spent two summers teaching in Gagetown, and deserved a medal for that more than I did for several other sweater buttons. We could call it OP BOHICA and make it tax free, too!
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